Warner enlists veteran comic writers for superhero movies

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Warner Brothers, still flush from the more than $500 million generated by The Dark Knight last year, has hired veteran comic-book writers Geoff Johns, Grant Morrison and Marv Wolfman to act as consultants and screenwriters for upcoming comic-book movie adaptations, according to The Hollywood Reporter .

Johns previously worked as 1978 Superman director Richard Donner's assistant and co-wrote with Donner the recent "Last Son" Superman story arc for Action Comics, which utilized fan favorite villains General Zod, Ursa, and Non, the trio of Krytonian criminals exiled into the Phantom Zone at the start of Donner's Superman. Other noteworthy works by Johns include a long stretch writing Justice Society of America and stints scripting The Flash, Green Lantern and Booster Gold.

Morrison is best known to comic book writers for his penchant for deconstructing comic book heroes, as he did with Animal Man. Other noteworthy superhero works by Morrison include the graphic novel Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth, the depiction of the Joker in which was said to have been studied by Heath Ledger for his portrayal in The Dark Knight, All-Star Superman, Batman, RIP and The New X-Men.

Wolfman is the grand old man of the three, having worked in comics steadily since the 1970s and having been editor of Marvel's line after Roy Thomas stepped down. Aside from writing titles like Fantastic Four and Spider-Man and Doctor Strange, Wolfman wrote the acclaimed Tomb of Dracula comic and DC's epic Crisis on Infnite Earths.

The trio of vets are working on treatments that will be in keeping with various superheroes' continuities, while at the same time be accessible to wider audiences unfamiliar with decades of comic book history and back-story.

Johns has apparently created a treatment for a Flash movie to be scripted by Dan Mazeau. Other projects are in very early stages of development, so Warner Execs are keeping mum, for the moment.